In recent years, venoms of arachnids, in particular spiders and scorpions, have been investigated as a potential source of biologically active substances for use in various fields such as medicine and agriculture. Examples of such work include:
EP Patent Application, Publ. No. 208 523 A2: Glutamate Antagonists Isolated from New World Spiders Argiope trifasciata and Araneus gemma. PA0 EP Patent Application, Publ No. 156 540: Glutamate Receptor Inhibitor obtained from Nephila clavata. PA0 Grishin et al., 1986. "Ion Channel Blocker from the Venom of Areiope lobata" Biorg. Khim. 12(8):1121-1124. PA0 Usherwood et al., 1984. "Glutamate Channel Blockade by Venoms of Argiope trifasciata and Araneus gemma" J. Physiol. Paris 79:241-245. PA0 Aramaki et al. 1986. "Glutamate Potential Suppressor from Nephila clavata and Nerhila maculata" Proc. Japan Acad. 62, Ser B:359-362. PA0 Usherwood et al., 1985. "Antagonism of Glutamate Receptor Channel Complexes by Spider Venom Polypeptides" Neurotoxicology 6(2):239-250. PA0 Adams et al. 1986. "Synaptic Toxins from Agelenopsis aptera" Insect Neurophysiology, Borkovec et al., Eds. Humana Press, Clifton, N.J. 397-408.
The active principles isolated to date, however have usually been either complex polypeptides which are unsuited for medical and agricultural uses or have had activity levels too low to be of commercial interest.